Why I can no longer shop at my favorite store.

Last night, I attended an "Oscar Party" at a coworker's house.  I enjoyed the traditional movie snacks-- nachos, popcorn, and candy... lots of candy.  I knew most of the people there, but somehow I got stuck sitting next to a woman I did not know.  From what I gathered, not being properly introduced, she use to work at my school.  I overheard her telling one of my coworkers that Rick Santorum use to be moderate and that his crazy antics are just an act.  I laughed and told her that if she asked the average Pennsylvania, they would disagree with her.  As a young woman living in Pennsylvania during his two terms as Senator, I heard enough crazy rhetoric to know he was no moderate.  Arlen Spector-- now that's a Pennsylvania moderate.  When Casey beat Santorum in 2006, I remember a sense of relief.  At the time, I was a registered voter in PA (thank you absentee voting) and had spent the summer interning at the Pennsylvania Commission for Women .  My whole summer I was wrapped up in educating, protecting, and advocating for Pennsylvania women's issues... including access to birth control. Let's just say Rick Santorum wasn't our biggest fan.  When he lost, I thought he would go crawling back to his sub-par law firm, with his sub-par law degree, and would never be heard from again.  BOY, WAS I WRONG.  He is back.  I am scared.  Which leads me back to my story about the inaccurate partygoer... She did say something I thought was quite interesting. She said that she no longer shops at Urban Outfitters because they donated to Santorum's campaign (I doubt THIS alone made her stop shopping there... she was in her 40s and not exactly urban size, if you know what I mean).  Based on her "moderate" info on Santorum, I wasn't really quick to believe her.  After all, Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, and Free People all being owned by the same company-- seem to be liberal, free thinking, hipster type places.  The prices don't make them readily available to hipsters, but...You shop there and you ARE a cool, free-spirited, vintage-loving, mis-matched to perfection, non-conformist.  Only apparently, its all an illusion.  I did some research (or made Christopher look it up for me) and its true...sort of.  The company itself did not donate to Santorum, but its CEO did.  My bubble is burst.  I will no longer be shopping at Anthropologie (for at least a month).  If my money is going to go towards financing the Santorums of the world, I want it to at least scream "SOCIALLY CONSERVATIVE" not pretend to be "Free People."  Brooks Brothers it is...

"Who ever felt this way..."  Natalie Maines voice is echoing through my head as I start my first post here on my new blog!  I have decided to start this blog because too often I hear, see, or read things that disturb me or frustrate me.  Currently, my only outlet is to complain to my husband.  I am lucky enough to have a great husband that listens, validates my arguments, and even strengthens them with his own opinions.  BUT (and there is always a but), I would like to get them OUT there and on the "record."  I thought about using facebook, but I hate reading other people's opinions on facebook, especially when I disagree.  I have to constantly fight the urge not to delete people.  Therefore, I don't want to pollute my own facebook page and thus my "friends" newsfeeds with my opinions.  Instead, I will continue to use facebook for the mundane, obligatory status updates (usually something about studying or taking a test) and I will share my opinions on the world here... my new blog.  I will however post links if any of my facebook friends are curious enough to discover my take on this world and its happenings.